Fleeting Wishes
by readwithcats
Summary: Being thrown into a world with no foreknowledge is pretty goddamn terrible, especially when the the clan I was born into was doomed to die right from the start. But how was I supposed to know? [Hozuki clan SI-OC]
1. Chapter 1

**So I have no self-restraint? Anyway, enjoy and tell me if you want this continued!**

 **Chapter 1**

It was dark. That was my first coherent thought and not exactly my smartest admittedly.

It was dark, sure, but it was also calm. Like weirdly calm. One could almost say, the eye of a hurricane; the calm before the storm. Instead it was affecting me, making me feel lethargic. It reminded me of when I had to take a whole bunch pills for allergies and the side effect was drowsiness.

 _Sleep._

Unfortunately, it didn't feel like it was going to end anytime soon, this darkness- nothingness- compelled me to just fall back to sleep. Just like I had been doing. Which was bullshit, I wasn't about to take orders from nothing.

 _Sleep._

What had woken me up? There must have been something, because this darkness wanted me to sleep so it wouldn't have let me be woken up. And, more pressing, where was I- this most certainly wasn't my room- and how had I gotten here? Was I dead?

...And who the fuck was _I_?

Ah, the question of the century. Shame I couldn't answer it.

 _Sleep._

Might as well, because I sure wasn't getting any answers. I was getting tired, so it wasn't like I was going along with the stupid darkness.

If anything, the darkness seemed to agree with me and so I allowed myself to be lulled back to dreamless slumber once more.

When I woke up again, the sense of wrongness was stronger and more potent to the point where I recognized it. Before I had just briefly sensed it and had awakened, but other than that I hadn't seen anything out of place.

Now I definitely could; the light was bright, especially in this pit of blackness. Strangely enough, there was light but there was no shadows; just dark and light.

 _Sleep._

I fought my instincts and drifted over to the light. It was strange and warm and the closer I got the more alive I felt. My heartbeat thumped faster, before it had been dead, lifeless really.

Then something else, or more precisely, someone else, appeared as well to my dismay. It didn't look human; in fact, it was more of an organic shape and seemed to glow blue. (What did I look like then?) Nothing came off as fellow human, but I just _knew_ , it was a human. I was still disappointed though. Which was an alien feeling, because shouldn't I be happy I'm not alone?

As It drifted past me- what the hell?! It was going faster than me?- I sensed several things.

Innocence. Confusion. Joy. Nothingness.

The last one made me shiver; it was creepy but true. It practically radiated nothing, almost as if it was a blank slate.

...holy shit.

Was it a baby? And the light it was drifting towards, the body? (Side note: there was a slight possibility of me being insane. I faintly recognized this as a fact, but I was much more fascinated by the chance of it being a baby, because what did that make me?)

But wait, if I got there before It would that mean the body would be mine? Was I a baby as well? I didn't remember anything, was I a blank slate as well?

No. That wasn't right. I had been someone else before this, how else could I know what a human was supposed to look like? That meant I had died.

It also meant, I got a second chance if I got to the body first. I wasn't thinking of details when my mind was made up.

I was thinking of being alive.

 _Sleep._

Yeah, sorry baby, but there was no way in hell (ha! Get it?) I was going to pass up on this.

With that decided, I shook off the darkness that was trying to wrangle me back into my dead state and gave chase.

It was like swimming through syrup but somehow I managed to pass the baby who didn't seem to be having any difficulties. That really shouldn't have been too surprising; the light was the body it had been assigned too.

 _Sleep_.

Ah well, as my dad used to say, tough luck.

I beat It to its own body so really, I was probably doing It a favor. It probably wouldn't have survived. It's not like I would waste the chance anyway.

As I touched the shining light, all my memories came back with a pounding vengeance and suddenly I could answer all those questions with clarity.

I was Puck, named after the mischievous fairy in Midsummer Night's Dream because my parents had been nerds to the very core. (And I wasn't insane apparently.)

.

And that was the story behind how I cheated death and stole a body.

Call me arrogant, but I doubt many people can do that, or have done that.

Despite it sounding really cool and all, being a baby again sort-of really sucks. There is a reason why we don't remember those days. I mean like, who wants to remember shitting themselves and having to cry to get someone to check your diapers? No one, that's who.

However, I will tell you that once you past those days, life's relatively fun.

.

I spent the time playing with a kid my age, not mentally of course, and he was highly entertaining. He had snow white hair that had a habit of coming in front of his face and was apparently expecting a younger brother later that year.

Meanwhile, I was an only child that had been formed on a one night stand and was continually shamed for that fact even though I had absolutely no power over who my parents were. Like how was I supposed to know the body I stole was a bastard's child?

...

Alright so maybe, I could've just _not_ gone towards the Light and none of this would have happened, but still.

"Sayuri!"

I sighed. "What?"

"Look, look!" He shouted with a wide grin that threatened to tear his face apart. "My hand! Watch, watch! It's so cool!"

I rolled my eyes at his theatrics but still kept a close eye on his hand. I was curious, sue me.

Nothing happened and I gave him a skeptical look, but he was frowning too hard to notice so I was forced to go back to staring at his hand.

Then, right before my eyes, there was a drop of water, one, two, five now. His index finger became translucent, as though it was a ghost, and his hand was soon the same. There was a tint of blue but I ignored it. His hand had just become a specter! As in, like, dead and back to haunt the living.

(Here you may wonder why that freaked me out so much when that description might as well be me. The answer to that is I was a living, breathing human- not see through or haunting.)

"Oh my god!" I shrieked. "Get that ghost hand away from me! _Mangestu_ , why would try and make _your hand a ghost_?!"

He seemed surprised but couldn't stop laughing as he brought the hand closer and closer to me. I was too scared to move, what if the ghost hand realized I wasn't living but dead as well and took me back?

It was so close and all Mangestu did was laugh harder at my apparent fear. If I got out of this, I would kill him. I squeezed my eyes closed and briefly wondered if I was hyperventilating. I brushed it away because who cared about that when you might just be dead in a few seconds?

Surprisingly, I was never pulled back into that blinding darkness; instead, there was this wetness clutching to my own hand. I opened my eyes and blinked. I blinked some more. Mangestu ghost hand was holding mine, but there was no 'crap, I'm dead again'. There was just 'why does it feel like water?'

Vaguely, I remembered our clan's specialty and flushed bright red. Well, wasn't that embarrassing, I seethed. "Oh." I said in a small voice.

"Oh man! That was great!" Mangestu crowed and I quickly put him back in his place with a jab to the stomach. "Ow! I didn't know you'd get so freaked out over it. Though ghost hand? Really? That's hilarious!"

"Shut up." I snarled and wondered if I should do well on my threat of killing him. I decided against it, because even if he was an annoying person and a pain the ass, he was the clan head's son and, somehow, I doubted killing his son would make him very happy.

He sniggered, "how do you forget our clan's bloodline though?"

"Um, I don't know?" I shrugged. "I just did."

"Why don't you learn it too?" Mangestu asked and I back away slightly, feeling uncomfortable.

"Bastard's child, remember?" I said, not unkindly. Yes, I was pissed I wasn't able to turn into water. Who wouldn't be?

He winced. "Oh. Right."

Forgetful ass.

"Yeah." I said awkwardly, and we shifted uneasily. "I should probably head home. Mom will want my help for dinner."

"Right, okay," he agreed and turned to leave as well. "See you tomorrow, Sayuri!"

I smiled, and we broke off as I went right and he went left.

As I wasn't a full-blooded Hozuki, I wasn't allowed to learn the clan justu. My mom had fought for me to learn it, but the clan head hadn't moved on his decision. While I wasn't happy with the outcome, all the times I had stood outside his house waiting for my mom to come out, I had met Mangestu, his son. After that, we formed a tentative friendship, so far I hadn't regretted it. Even if he was a brat.

I stopped in front of my house. It was made of white cement and had an oval with two lines symmetrical inside with a circle in the middle being divided by a straight line over the front door. It was the clan symbol. It was circular, which had been weird as fuck, let me tell you. We weren't closely related to the main branch, so we lived further away from Mangestu's house.

After tucking my indigo hair behind my ears, I opened the door. "I'm home."

My mom popped her head out from the kitchen with a soft smile. "Welcome back, Sayuri."

Slipping off my shoes, I went to go join her.

"Do you need help for dinner?" I asked politely, because my mother was an all great and powerful being. She had survived me for seven years already, and I wasn't necessarily the greatest child who listened all the time.

She ruffled my hair, ruining my slightly put together look I had achieved before showing up. "Help cut the carrots, will you?"

"Sure!"

 _Ding._

"Is Mangestu coming over?" My mom frowned.

"No. He wasn't supposed to, at least."

"Hm, well, you stay here." She said, worried for some reason I could not guess.

I nodded and she seemed to relax the slightest bit.

Her feet padded softly across our wood as she walked out of the kitchen and to the door. It opened with a click; I stilled, wanting to hear who it was.

"Oh," I could practically hear my mom's relief in that one word. "It's you, Sangestu. I thought it might be... nevermind."

"There is a clan meeting tonight at the clan head's house, you can drop Sayuri off with Mangestu." Sangestu said.

Sangestu was our nosey neighbor that knew everyone's secrets, whether you wanted him to know or not. It was a good asset for our clan, but sucked when he decided to act like a child and spill all the secrets he had collected. Which was surprisingly often. Of course, they were always the innocent ones to annoy my younger cousins, like who had a crush on who and who had finished the cake.

"Alright." My mom acquiesced. "Sayuri! Stop eavesdropping and start cleaning up the kitchen!"

I grinned sheepishly at the wall, she knew me too well, before putting the knife away along with the carrots. I took the potatoes mom had been cleaning just the moment before and stuffed them back in the fridge. Then, taking the washcloth, I wiped down the counter.

As soon as I was done, I joined my mother that had donned her simple jacket for the clan cloak that had the symbol in the back. My loose violet shirt that matched my hair already had it printed on the back, because, apparently, clans had a lot of clan spirit.

"Sangestu, go on ahead. I'm afraid it might take a moment." She said kindly.

He shrugged, "okay then. See ya soon Sayuri!"

The door closed once more and my mom raised an eyebrow. "Did you really think your hair was acceptable for even a moment?"

"Maybe," I replied with an awesome hair flip and she laughed with eyes full of mirth.

"Come over here." She said walking down the hallway, past the kitchen, to her bathroom. My mom rummaged through a cabinet and found the hair brush. Before even working on my hair, she gave a few experimental tugs on her own white hair.

I looked at the mirror and winced. I might as well have come back from a tornado with my hair looking like that. My purple-blue hair, for all intents and purposes, wasn't a clan trait. White and light blue hair was, and so at any clan function I stuck out like a sore thumb. It wasn't long like my mom that had long hair that reached her lower back. It was only slightly longer than my shoulders.

I might grow it out later to be more like my old self, who knows though? Having long hair and being a ninja didn't go together unless you were good enough.

The few things that identified me as a Hozuki were my bright purple eyes (that I loved), light skin complexion (vampire), and sharp teeth (what did I say, vampire). Disregarding my hair and name, I could fit in just fine. Probably anyways.

My mother turned towards me with the brush raised threateningly in one hand and I reluctantly walked up to her. She had no mercy on knots, or my hair in general. My poor seven year old scalp couldn't handle my mom's years of experience as a ninja.

Once she was done, I had unshed tears in the corners of my eyes but my unruly hair was straight again.

"Now let's go join everyone else, Sayuri." She said with an outstretched hand for me to grab. I nodded eagerly.

And yes, I was not mentally seven, but you know what? I don't care. I would hold her hand even if I was thirty! Alright, so that's an exaggeration, but whatever. I'm making a point!

Back to the matter at hand (pun so totally intended), I grabbed it and we walked to the center of our compound eve as the mist our village was famous for swarmed around us.

As soon as we reached Mangestu's house, I let go with a wave while my mom talked with her cousins, which might as well have been everybody. I strolled through the rooms, most of them full with clansmen, searching for my friend. In the end though, it was him who found me and not the other way around.

"Sayuri!" Mangestu jumped on top of me. "I was wondering where you were."

I scoffed and pushed him away. "If anything, it was me who was wondering where you were."

"Yeah right," he grinned with his sharp teeth gleaming. "Also are you going to the academy too?"

"No, my mom is going to teach me herself. I think Sangestu is also going to help but I'm not sure."

"Aw," he whined. "Why?"

"She said she didn't trust Yagura-sama." I whispered, not wanting to be accused of treason.

"That reminds me." He said, "I'm pretty sure this meeting has to do about him. My parents don't really like him either, but it'd be too suspicious if the heir of our clan didn't go to the academy."

That was true, if he didn't go, we might as well have announced our opinions to him and every other official. Poor Mangestu.

"Sorry." I apologized.

He shook his head, "no it's fine. If our parents are right about him, then I'd rather you'd not go."

"Aww, is Mangestu feeling protective of me~" I sang with a smirk.

He smacked me. "Shut up, Sayuri."

My obnoxious smirk stayed while internally I was totally falling for his sappiness. Ah well, he was like twenty years too young. But then again, so was I...

Goddammit, stupid Mangestu!

My mother found it fit to return to me and was smiling fondly at me as I internally seethed. Like no Mom, this is not the part where you smile, this is the part where you threaten to castrate him!

...I'm not this violent usually.

"Hangestu-sama, I apologize for my daughter's impertinence. It was not her intention to disrespect Mangestu-sama." My mom said suddenly. I glanced upwards and saw the clan head staring disapprovingly at me. I gulped while Mangestu sobered, losing his good-natured scowl.

Hangestu met eyes with her before saying. "Chose wisely who you chose as friends, Mangestu."

Then he left with one last disapproving glare.

"Sorry Mom." I said quietly, knowing I had reflected badly on her. I was also mad because the dude was obviously being an ass.

She sighed and just patted my head. "Don't you worry about me. Now don't eavesdrop on us, okay?"

"Right." Two crossed fingers were behind my back. Sorry Mom.

Mangestu gave me an exasperated look and I grinned mischievously. They couldn't seriously think that I would listen to them.

"C'mon Mangestu," I pushed. "We can't miss this. It has to do with our Mizukage for Kami's sake!"

"...fine." He said reluctantly.

Belatedly, I pondered if I had done something wrong but shrugged it off. This world had done something wrong, not me. Who, after all, created child soldiers for the norm?

We made our way towards the door where my mom had disappeared, elbowing and squeezing through the other clansmen. Mangestu kept saying sorry for me and I kept saying he didn't need to, if they weren't moving then it wasn't my problem.

I'm not sure he agreed. Oh well.

Unlike all the other rooms, this one was mostly empty save for my mom and Hozuki-sama. I guessed everyone else was still socializing. There was no stage for a speaker to stand on but there was a podium. Behind it was the clan symbol blown up to fill the majority wall, while in front of it were a bunch of chairs lined up.

"-ease, Hangestu-sama." Mom was pleading and my heart twisted seeing her helpless. "The tension is growing, civilians look at us with fear. She needs a way to protect herself!"

"You know as well as do about the risk." He replied darkly.

"Yes, but- I believe she could do it!" She said.

There was a beat.

"If she was able, then she'd be turned into a tool." A sigh. "I am doing this for her sake."

"I know-"

"Then you know that this conversation is done. I do not want to hear about this again."

Silence.

"…Y-yes, Hozuki-sama."

Mangestu and I walked away as fast as we could without attracting attention to ourselves. Once we were alone, I let out a breath I hadn't known I had been holding. I ran my small hand through my hair, effectively ruining my mother's hard work. My mind was whirling a mile a minute.

"What the fuck was that about?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Probably about you."

I glared at him. "Well, duh." How could he be joking after hearing something like that?

"I mean, Sayuri. We shouldn't get involved with whatever they were fighting about." He said, not meeting my eyes.

"Are you for real?" I hissed at him. If it was about me, than I had a right to know!

"Yes!" He snapped back, finally meeting my eyes. "I want you to leave tonight as though you obeyed your mom and didn't overhear anything. Like my father said, this conversation is over. For us and for them. There's nothing to find if they're done talking, Sayuri!"

My eyes stung and I took a step back as though I had been punched, but I kept my chin held high. "Fine. I'll forget this ever happened for you Mangestu. But if it comes back again, I will investigate it, got that?"

"Yeah, I got that. I'll help you too, okay?" He sighed.

I smiled weakly, "thanks."

"No problem." He looked out towards the main hallway. "Most people are going in the room, we should go too."

I took a calming breath and counted to ten before plastering a grin on my face that still had baby fat on it.

"Right. Let's go!" I rushed past him. "Slowpoke!" I stuck my tongue out at him. Childish, maybe, fun, hell yes!

"You're on!" he shouted grinning, running after me.

Our cousins shook their heads, but a couple of them held amusement as well as nostalgia. I wondered if any of them had been like this too when they were seven.

Probably.

We were the Hozuki clan after all.

 **To be continued, or to not be continued?**


	2. Chapter 2

**All I can say is working and taking an extra class online is a time commitment, and unfortunately it has made this less of a priority.**

 **Hope you enjoy the chapter!**

 ** _Chapter 2_**

"Now then, make your balance is correct." My mom said. "If I go up to you and shove you, will you fall?"

"Uh," I readjusted my stance slightly and shifted my weight more towards the balls of my feet. "I don't think so?"

The sun wasn't ever too bright in water country, much less right next to the hidden village, but I swore that today it seemed more prominent than ever. My back was drenched in sweat and I could only imagine that my face looked like a ripe tomato ready for picking. I wasn't even wearing thick clothes! My only consolidation was that my new found enemy didn't seem much better than me. And she had long hair! So it really wasn't a consolidation.

Ugh, sometimes I hated my mother.

"Think won't help you in a fight," Mother scolded and I sighed in annoyance even as my breath came out in short gasps. "Fine, then. I won't fall. Happy?"

"Yes- no slouching!"

A wheezing sound could be heard and we both whirled to face Sangestu who was red in the face. "We can hear you out in the street, why I bet we would even hear the pair of you right in front of the head house!"

I shrugged but inwardly was happy. At least now others would be able to attest against my mom being one heck of a slave driver. I sneaked a look at the woman who birthed me and she seemed to be a slight bit embarrassed.

"Ah, is that so?" She ran her slender fingers through her hair. "You'll have to forgive us then."

He grinned, "There's nothing to be ashamed for. The true reason I came here was to help you teach the little troublemaker."

My mother immediately brightened up and shared a glance with Sangestu. "Well, in that case…"

I only thought of my own personal hell and torture, and groaned, pushing my sweaty hair back.

I really shouldn't have gone towards the light.

.

Friday came around and mother let me out early to do whatever I wanted in the compound. Which, while appreciated, was awfully boring when your best friend wasn't there to join you. And so with grey clouds following me, I wandered the small streets searching for things I could do without Mangestu. Was it really that surprising that I found nothing?

Yeah, I didn't think so either.

In the end, my feet dragged me to the small park where there were a few clan children playing. The older ones were playing a version of tag; it looked like they had combined it with the game Ninja. The smaller ones still learning to walk were enjoying themselves in the sand box and trying build castles and weapons. A part of me registered that it was probably an exercise to increase finger dexterity, but I couldn't bring myself to care.

Everyone looked so happy even the small group of parents who were chatting and comparing their children to the others. The more I looked around, the more I felt out of place. It was a depressing feeling.

So to completely wallow in self-pity, I managed to walk to the swing set and slowly pushed myself using the bottom of my feet. It creaked and for a second, it was like everybody had stopped what they were doing to stare at me.

My cheeks flushed red and I tilted my head down to hide my face. I was pathetic. Without Mangestu I had no confidence.

What was wrong with me? Was I really nothing without someone? How could I traipse around the compound like I owned the place when I was nothing but dust in the corner of someone's eye?

And the worst part was, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't bring my head back up to stare defiantly at them. I _couldn't_. Their stares pierced my skull—the back of my neck was flushed and sweaty under my hair. I could feel my eyes start to shine with the tears filling them and I blinked frantically.

Why I couldn't be confident? Why couldn't I be me?

What was wrong with _me_?

I don't know, hmm, what could it be? Oh, right. Maybe its the fact that you freaking came back to life where there's magic equivalence! How's that for an answer?

A crunch alerted me of the presence in front of me. "My, aren't you little Sayuri that ate all of the cake at the last meeting?"

My head shot up as they listed the dare Magestu had set for me, and I quickly rubbed at my eyes before meeting the woman's face with a shaky smile. "T- that would be me."

(I was so pathetic, but hey, go easy on me. I was a child again, that's got to mess up some people real good.)

"That's what I thought. I would recognize that bright hair of yours anywhere." The woman smiled. That's when I knew she was a mom—there's just this look and feeling you get when you're looking at one straight in the eye, one that's reminiscent of your own mother. Her white hair didn't have much purple expect for the bottom tip and at her comment, my mood soured some more.

Why couldn't I have her hair? The _normal_ hair.

"Well, I suppose I should just get to the point." She started, interrupting my thoughts and I realized I had never replied. Whoops. "Since the academy has started for Mangestu, he hasn't been able to look after the children when the other moms and I have meetings. We were wondering if you wanted to take his place?"

Great. Now I was a replacement for my best friend.

"Um." I searched for something to say that wasn't considered rude. "Er—when would these meeting happened?"

I wiped at my eyes one last chance to get rid of anymore tears and stood straighter. She smiled softly and I wanted to die even more. Of course she could tell I had been on the verge of tears—she was a _mom_.

"Oh, you know, on the weekends." She reassured me, "I know you have training during the week."

I looked back at the little kids that looked no different than actual babies and felt my anger melting at the sight of them all dressed up in the clan wear. "I guess I could babysit them on the weekends."

I could just about hear it—yup, that was my coffin being sealed shut with iron nails.

(And, I mean, if time traveled differently that might just have been it. My actual coffin, Puck's coffin.)

.

"The academy's easy I tell you," Mangestu whined. "Too easy. I wish there was a challenge—" He bolted up and I tilted my head to look at him better. "Oh! There's this dude who's in the year above me, he's from the Hoshigaki clan. You know the blue people…"

I zoned out. Mangestu talked for way too much and never knew when to stop, but what was worse was when he forgot he had already told you something and repeated it—all of it. We were inside my room lying on our backs on my bed which, I'll let you know, had been nicely made before he had came in.

"Hey." I interrupted him as a thought crossed my mind. I only vaguely felt sorry for ruining his speech as I spotted his pout from the corner of eye. "How are the kids I'm supposed to be babysitting?"

His eyes brightened and his energy was immediately renewed like nothing had happened. My mouth curled upwards fondly.

"They're troublemakers! But cute ones, I'll give them that much. Especially this one named Kogestu, when she smiles I swear it's like she's just melted four islands off in the land of snow." He flopped back on the bed. "You'll definitely like her. But her brother on the other hand… always sets up a prank."

"Let me guess, he got you." I said dryly. "Multiple times."

"Once!" I raised an eyebrow and shifted to where I was facing him. "Okay, so maybe it was twice… The number doesn't matter, Sayuri, the person does, and you know what? I'm hurt by his fooling around and your skepticism. Deeply hurt." He finished with a wounded look.

I laughed, "you look like someone just threw up on you and can't tell if you want to look offended or disgusted."

"Yeah, well, shut up!" He floundered and turned away from me with an exaggerated huff.

I twisted and landed yet again on my back. "What do I do if they start crying? You saw me with Yongestu."

"You do realize he's one of the ones you'll be babysitting?" At my curse, he laughed. "You didn't know?"

"Oh, shut up!" I repeated the words he had said to me not even five minutes ago.

We stayed there all afternoon that Saturday before he had to go take care of clan matters and I had to go get prepared to go take care of children.

.

"I hope you realize that if one of them start crying, I'm evacuating the place." I said seriously as she handed me a manual that had instructions listed.

She brushed away my scenario with a flick of her hand, "don't worry so much Sayuri. You just have to gently carry them until they calm down."

"And if they don't?"

"Everything will be fine." She stated firmly and my jaw snapped shut. Her stern face faded as she smiled indulgently at me. Why, she even patted my head before closed the door with a click that left all the kids staring at me.

Well, this was awkward.

The oldest stepped forward with shaky legs that still had baby fat clinging around the bone. "Who are you? Where Mangestu?"

Of course—of _fucking_ course—the oldest would have to be Yongestu.

"He couldn't be here, so I came instead." I explained as simple as possible and eyed him carefully waiting for the moment his legs gave out under him. "So what do you like to do?" I addressed the whole group gently not wanting to startle them into crying, and wouldn't that be my worst nightmare.

Another child decided to speak up this time, "reading stories."

Now that was something I could do. I herded them to the two couches and the kids quickly climbed up. The ones that couldn't, I picked up and silently freaked because what if I dropped them?!

(Kids were something I had always avoided in my past life. Ahh, how I wished I could go back to those good ol' days.)

The last one I placed on my lap and grabbed the book that I had placed on the small table before lifting the children up. "The Water Warrior."

"Once upon a time when there was no water country, no fire country, there was only war and clans. Among the clans, there was a man who didn't belong to any. His name was Mangestu—"

"We've already heard this. It's boring."

I gritted my teeth, why couldn't this go smoothly? "Then what do you suggest?"

"Game!" His shout brought some agreeing nods and I sighed. "Fine. What type of game? And it has to be something everybody wants to play."

That also brought some groans and I smirked. As they discussed which games, I switched arms I was holding Kogestu, who—as Mangestu had said—was adorable and could probably melt any heart.

As they decided I got their dinner ready. Their childish debate filled with giggles and insults along the lines of 'well your dumb' went throughout dinner and I ended up threatening a couple that there wouldn't be a game if they didn't eat. They took to eating like a fish took to swimming after that.

Finally, they all agreed on a game. Funnily enough, it was the game I had witnessed the older kids playing at the park. Part of me was worried the younger ones playing would fall and hurt themselves but they were sturdier than what I gave them credit for.

Kogestu fell asleep still in arms halfway through the game and the ones that had gotten out were quickly following her example.

"Alright," I stopped the game as it neared their bedtime and sent Kogestu to bed along with her brother who put up a fight. I had had to stop myself from being immature and sticking my tongue at him when he pouted and went to bed. The others who didn't live there stayed downstairs with me.

Overall, it hadn't been that bad. Some of the kids had even grown on me.

(Oh god, what was happening to me?! _Me_ liking _kids_! Damn, the universe really had fucked up my life.)

It was just too bad I had to go back to my hellish training tomorrow.

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 **Thank you to all the people who have, it means a lot, and I can only hope it won't take as long to update again.**


	3. Chapter 3

**_Thank you so much for the review, and I am aware that there are probably several inconsistencies with canon and all I can say is AU. And details about Kirigakure is general pretty fuzzy._**

 ** _Hope you enjoy!_**

 ** _Chapter 3_**

"Sayuri! Sayuri!" Mangestu voice traveled through my front door. "C'mon! It's urgent, like super-duper urgent!"

My mom huffed out a laughed, and I reluctantly got off the chair to open the door. "What? It's morning for god's sake."

"Oh, quiet." He snarked before jumping around, "Guess what? Guess what! You're not going to believe this!"

"What is it?" I sighed and closed the door behind him. He shot me a glare. "Okay, chill. I'll guess… Kogestu shouted?" The hope in my voice couldn't be contained and he grimaced.

"What—no, your plans to making her a mini you haven't succeeded." He twirled for extra effect. "I'm getting a baby brother—wait! What if it's a girl?!" My shoulders were grabbed and shaken and I was getting just about done with his bullshit when his words registered.

"Oh shut u—…" My mom beamed in the background. "What the fuck. _You_ 're getting a _sibling_?! I wante—ow, ow, ow! Mom!"

"You do not curse in this household, Sayuri. And you congratulate someone when they're getting a sibling." She lectured as her smiled melted off her face. "Apologize to Mangestu. Now."

"Fine, sorry Mangestu." He brushed it off. "Also you better tell me the minute the gender is decided."

"Well, duh. But can't imagine me? I would have to win the best older sibling award. That's my goal!" He ranted, "Wait, doesn't this also mean I'd have to make smart decisions now?"

I shrugged, "maybe. Depends if you want to be relatable or unattainable."

"The decisions! I can't make them now—am I supposed to?"

I raised a shrew eyebrow. "First, why are you asking me? Like do you see a mini me following us? That's what I thought. And don't you have nine months?"

"Do I?" Came the clueless response.

I hit my head against the counter, "kill me, do it fast too."

"Now, now, don't exaggerate Sayuri." My mother scolded. "Mangestu, this might be the stuff to know before he's born rather than deciding to change your personality."

He turned bright red. "Right. Of course. I will."

"Also, don't you have to go to the academy?" I asked. The question had been bothering me for a while now.

"No," he shook his head. "It's the day Kagura gets officially made Mizukage."

I frowned, "then shouldn't more people be talking?" Sangestu had visited early and yet I hadn't heard anything of the sort.

Mangestu shrugged.

"Not everyone approves," my mom said. "He is young and naïve."

"Then how did he win? I mean, how did he become the Mizukage?" It was only now that I was realizing how little I knew about the politics beside the clan ones. I had only been outside the compound once when I was younger.

She sighed as she met two curious stares. "To make things simple, you have to get the support of three or more clans and be a jounin to even be considered, and from there hope that five out of the eight original clans will second you into office."

"Yeah, but you didn't answer my question." I rolled my eyes. "How did _Kagura_ become Mizugake?"

She pursed her lips and her eyes darkened.

"He has powerful friends."

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By the end of the next day, dozens of people had come by to wish the head of the family congratulations, and I proclaimed myself an expert at telling apart the different clans.

"Oh, you see that one Kogestu? He's a Kaguya." I told her as she blearily blinked at me. Holding the children was a fear that had slowly eased away after a month of babysitting them. "You know this because they have even paler skin than us and are usually tall and skinny. That one, on the other hand, shouldn't even take you more than five seconds to figure out. Blue skin means Hoshigaki clan. They aren't an original clan but they've grown powerful over the last few years."

I continued rambling as I passed on my knowledge to Kogestu who I was currently grooming to become a miniature sized me. I spotted out more clansmen through the window I was currently looking out of with Kogestu falling to sleep in my arms. Her brother had apparently grown 'too old' for me to supervise him and had locked himself in his room.

When she had finally dozed off, I fell silent and wondered how Mangestu was faring. Polite speech wasn't his forte, and he still had the immaturity of a four year old despite being six.

Ah, there went a Yuki clan member. Their elegant grace was something I could only dream of. I wistfully pulled away from the window to check on Yongestu and put Kogestu in her proper bed.

The door was swung open as I was halfway to Yongestu's room and I froze, straining to hear footsteps. Their mother had said she wouldn't be back till late at night and it was still midafternoon; the fog had barely set in yet. Surely, no one would even attempted to kidnap a child while the compound was filled with powerful allies. Even so, I tightened my grip on Kogetsu and kept my eyes peeled on the entrance to the hallway.

Training had taught me to never assume.

As the footsteps came closer, I closed my eyes slightly and tried to sense the intruder's chakra. Chakra sensing was something I had recently learned but anything would be better than nothing. I furrowed my brows before my body sagged with relief.

The figure turned the corner and appeared. "There you are Sayuri, I couldn't find you downstairs. I thought you might've sent the kids to sleep so I didn't call out. I apologize for the fright."

"Oh, no. It's fine, really." I attempted to wave my arms around, but having a sleeping baby in them tended to hinder the motion. "I thought you wouldn't be back till later though?"

"That's what I had thought," she smiled slightly. I relaxed some more until I realized that her smile seemed almost cruel. It didn't match with her eyes. She hadn't given her reason for appearing either. Her purse which she had left with wasn't there. And the scariest one that sent chills crawling down my back with dread sinking in my stomach was that the clan insignia on her shirt was wrong.

There was no line going straight down the middle.

Out of instinct I took a step back, and her eyes flickered to my hand squeezing Kogestu's. She snarled, and just like that, became a whole other person that had slick black hair and cruel grey eyes that screamed for my death. I stumbled and went to run out of the house when I remembered Yongestu.

It was in that moment that my eyes traveled to his door with panic that seemed to slow down the time for me. The woman followed my eyes and as I stared with growing fear, she smirked languidly at me. I could see the exact moment she figured out what I had been thinking and I hated it.

"That's right, aren't there two little children, a boy and a girl. Both wonderful specimen." She pulled out a kunai and pointed it at me. "Now bring me the girl, and then the boy. _Now_."

I flinched and Kogestu awoke.

And this is when I knew I was going back into the darkness that was known as death.

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	4. Chapter 4

**Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas! Thank you to all the people who take their time to read this and review afterwards, it really does mean a lot. Thank you to all the people who follow and favorite it as well!**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

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 ** _Chapter 4_**

High pitched wailing pierced the silence and both of us winced. She was worried about being discovered. I was inwardly dying as my left eardrum was destroyed by her cries, but I wasn't one to waste a distraction. I quickly found and flared my chakra, which had been one of my first lessons with chakra, and yelled out hoping Yongestu would hear me.

"Leave by the window and get help!" I attempted to dodge the kunai thrown, but it still scrapped my cheek. I could feel the warm blood trickle and grimaced, hopefully nope of it would drip on Kogestu. However, I heard the window creak and smirked triumphantly, at least she wouldn't be getting that snot nosed brat.

The enemy snarled and rushed for the door of his room. My smirk vanished as I realized he hadn't been trained whatsoever yet and probably hadn't even gotten to the street. In that moment, I made a split-second decision that I knew I would probably come to regret later.

I sprinted towards the woman who had just reached the door that had been—thankfully—locked. Of course, it didn't stop her long but it was enough for me to reach her, which had been my goal. Tightening my hold on Kogestu and curling in on her to protect from the impact, I tilted my body that way it would be my back facing her and slammed into the enemy.

She snarled as I hit her and we both fell. A flash of pain crawled up my spine as I landed on it, but Kogetsu was safe and still crying my ears off. I was only really happy for one of those unfortunately.

Almost immediately, the woman had me in her clutches, kunai pressing against my back. She might not have been able to get her grubby hands on Yongestu, but she had a chance to get Kogetsu and she wasn't about to waste it. "Give the girl to me!" She yelled.

Well, shit, I really didn't think that stealing this body would end in me saving someone else. That's what I thought as I shook my head desperately with my body flush to the small child in my arms. It never crossed me that this could be my redeeming moment. There was only panic and grim humor underneath my pounding heart.

As the kunai dug deeper, I gritted my teeth together determined to weather out the pain. I had died once before—I could deal with pain. Right?

Yeah, apparently not. It hurt like hell, and it hurt even more that I could be sparing myself from it. But Kogestu was going to be a mini-me and how could she be that if she was in someone else's hands?

Of course, that thought didn't stop me from screaming like a banshee, which in turn, caused Kogestu to wail even louder. I mentally reminded myself to tell her to never scream ever again if I survived this because I liked my ears the way they were.

Also, I'm not sure my sense of priorities were in the correct order. Ah well, I could fix them later… hopefully anyways.

In my haze of pain and sorting priorities, I briefly noted that there were shouts in the house that weren't coming from me, Kogetsu, or the woman. They were getting louder too, but the hope was fleeting. I had lost a lot of blood and I couldn't think straight, even I knew those weren't the best signs. Then again, it didn't feel like I was dying…?

Huh, I couldn't remember how I died. Was that normal? I didn't think so, but it wasn't like I had ever met anyone who had stolen a body before. Oh, that's right… I was special. I had cheated death… not for long though.

There was a thump on the ground besides me and the pressure on my back was relieved even as more blood gushed out. I could only hope it wouldn't get on Kogestu.

And damn. I really needed to sort out my priorities.

A blurry pale boy with marking on below his eyes frowned down me, concerned, and I, being an expert at telling apart the clans, deduced he was a Kaguya. I blinked slowly, trying to bring the boy in focus but that only seemed to make it worse.

Oh. There were two of them now. They seemed to vanish after my next blink and a woman replaced them. She was vaguely familiar and was from my clan. I narrowed my eyes and attempted to sit up. That was a down right terrible move. The baby blue walls started spinning and now there were three women, all with the same worrying face.

"Where's Kogestu? Sayuri, focus." Her voice seemed to be underwater, but I understood it.

Somehow, in my tight embrace, Kogestu's cries had been muffled, so I wriggled my body some hoping I could get across that she was underneath me. Luckily, they figured out where she was and they flipped me on my back. And fuck. That _hurt_.

A masculine voice sounded to my right, or was it my right? I couldn't tell. "She needs medical care. Surely someone hear knows some."

"I can heal her," a person volunteered.

There was a yell and an accompanying cry. "Sayuri!"

And that was where I blacked out, because, you know, beauty sleep and all that.

.

I awoke to bright light, which wasn't common in Kiri and so I may have panicked… In my defense, the fight, if you could really call it that because _damn_ was I out of my league, was fresh on my mind and for all I knew I could have been transported somewhere else. Like Konoha with the creepy Hyuuga. (Sangestu had told me some stories when I was younger and if those didn't give me nightmares, I didn't know what did. Pupil-less eyes that could stare into your soul and find your greatest fear sounded like something I should flee from, not fight.)

After yelling out in pain, because turns out jumping out of bed, muscles all tense, wasn't the best idea especially after getting your back stabbed the other day. All in a day of learning, am I right?

Having learned my lesson, I carefully hauled myself out of bed, which I now recognized as my own with red rising to my cheeks and a silent promise that Mangestu would never hear of this. I precociously headed from my mother's room, hoping to find her there. I did not.

Which meant she was out on a mission, because if she was up, then she would've rushed to meet me. Damn it.

I wanted to find out what had happened and who it was that had saved me so I could thank them. I wasn't that ungrateful and bratty yet. I guess Sangestu would have to do, because Mangestu would freak, if he hadn't already, and would start treating me like glass. Or at least, I thought he would, so I ignored him for now even as my brain nagged me to do otherwise.

I miraculously managed to get to the front door without cursing in pain, but as soon as I opened the door, I shut it just as firm. There were stairs. There were _fucking stairs_. Considered me doomed.

Disappointed, I walked back to my room and fell back to sleep as exhaustion caught up to me. I could only hope my mom would be back soon.

The next few hours were spent sleeping and when I woke up again to an empty house, I wandered the house bored. I entertained myself by playing shogi alone and switching back and forth, however after realizing that I would lose regardless of which side won, I quickly stopped. I didn't like losing.

Next I skidded around the house in socks because being six was fun. It was until I fell on my back and then it wasn't just like that. Pain can work miracles.

I didn't get the idea to work on my chakra until the sun was setting and my head on buried into my bed because forget pain, boredom was going to be the end of me. Hell, I would've babysat Yongestu at that point, which was saying a lot.

My chakra control, according to my esteemed mother, was like a Kaguya standing by while their honor was being smashed to pieces, which is to say, nil. So as I laid on my bed bored out of my mind, I concentrated on finding my chakra. My mom didn't have to find it anymore, it responded automatically, and I wanted to be able to achieve that level of mastery. (Of course, later, Sangestu told me that every ninja was expected to have that level of mastery and it was actually more beginners level of mastery, but I could dream.)

Once I found it, I held onto it even as it attempted to slip out of my grasp like water. I frowned without realizing it as I concentrated and winced as my back tensed. And just like that, my chakra vanished like Peter Pettigrew. A strangled scream of frustration bubbled up my throat, but I tried again. I was not about to lose to some ambient energy.

Ha! I had got it again and this time I wasn't letting go, pain or no pain. They did say, no pain, no gain, for a reason. I attempted to play with it a bit. It was a little bit like clay, easy to mold once you stretched and played with it some. In fact, feeling like the six year old I was, I tried to make a snowman out of it.

It was needless to say I failed.

Soon I grew bored once more and so I upped the antes a bit. I had heard from Mangestu that the upper classmen at the Academy practiced by making water stick to their hand, so I decided why not?

It was definitely harder than I expected, but after watching the sun go down and the fog come out, I succeeded—for about ten seconds, but hey, who cares about the details? I had succeeded! So I did it again and again. I set myself a goal of thirty seconds.

Unfortunately, my chakra reserves were small and I knew if I didn't stop soon I would end up with chakra exhaustion. Fortunately, playing with my chakra had tired me out so going to bed was no problem even with my earlier nap.

As I slowly drifted off to blackness, a small thought wriggled its way through leaving me with one last lingering question.

Why hadn't anyone visited me?

.

The next morning I woke up to Sangestu knocking on our front door. I quickly got out of bed but made sure not to stress my poor back. My hair was probably looking like a bird's nest having not brushed it since I was attacked. What could I say? Laziness was a part of me I just wasn't willing to give up quite yet.

"Hey, nice of you to show up, though yesterday would have been better." I greeted him and he ruffled my hair.

"Yeah, yeah," he rolled his eyes, "save it. Things have been busy around here with that kidnapping attempt and your name been tossed around from here to Iwa."

"Glad to know I'm finally getting the recognition I deserve." I smirked. "Though actually, who orchestrated this whole thing? Or is that something I'd have to get clearance for?"

At his face, I sighed, but a part of me had already known it was a lost cause. "The only thing I'm allowed to say is that the woman who attempted to kidnap Yongestu and Kogestu was a Chunin. I'm surprised you fared as well as you did, though you'll always have a scar on your back now."

"This'll teach you to never underestimate me!" I grinned before something crossed my mind. "Wait, _was_ a Chunin? Don't you mean _is_ a Chunin?"

"No," he sighed. "I hoped you wouldn't catch it."

Typically, I'd take this opportunity to boost my ego but for once I was too concerned to care. "She died? How?"

"Suicide." He admitted shortly with his face stern.

"Oh." I took a moment to process that and decided a switch of topic would be best. "How's Kogestu and Yongestu? They doing alright?"

"Yeah, they're all fine thanks to you." He ruffled my hair yet again and I gave him a death stare. He didn't seem to notice or he just ignored it. The latter seemed far more likely as much as I hated it. "Yongestu actually seemed concerned for you, which is a miracle honestly. Kid doesn't even want to hang out with me anymore."

"And why is that a surprise? Also did mom get sent on a mission or something?" I asked.

"She didn't leave a note?" At my blank look, he frowned. "I suppose she didn't have enough time to. Yeah, she had a last minute mission and she couldn't delay it as much as she wanted to. Don't worry Sayuri, she didn't just leave you here."

I pouted, "I knew that."

"Right, well, I'm here to make sure you have food and you're well enough to cook it." He confessed.

"Oh, food." I said absentmindedly as my stomach growled. "Forgot about that."

He stared at me with disbelief before sighing. "Good thing your mom sent me. What do you like?"

I smiled innocently and said the most expensive thing I could think of. Life certainly wasn't terrible.

(Even if Mangestu still hadn't showed up.)

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